This creamy bacon and mushroom pasta is all about deep savory flavor, crisp little bits of bacon, and a truly velvety sauce. In just half an hour at the stove, you have a satisfying, restaurant-style meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
- Pasta — 5.3 oz | 150 g
- Bacon — 7.1 oz | 200 g
- Button mushrooms — 3.5 oz | 100 g
- Onion — 1/2
- 30–33% cream — 5.3 oz | 150 g
- Parmesan — 0.7 oz | 20 g
- Parsley — a few sprigs
- Dry garlic — to taste
- Salt and black pepper — to taste
Step-by-step recipe
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, following the package instructions. Reserve a little of the cooking water.
- Slice the bacon into strips and cook in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate.
- In the rendered fat, sauté the finely chopped onion until soft and translucent.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until their excess moisture evaporates and they take on a light golden color.
- Return the bacon to the skillet, pour in the cream and a splash of pasta water, and warm through until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add the grated Parmesan, dry garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss in the pasta and mix well. If needed, add a little more cooking water to achieve a creamy sauce that lightly coats the pasta.
- Serve immediately, finished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Calories | ≈ 960 kcal |
| Protein | ≈ 27 g |
| Fat | ≈ 69 g |
| Carbohydrates | ≈ 58 g |
| Fiber | ≈ 3 g |
| Sodium | ≈ 1350 mg |
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Tips and variations
- Sauce texture: the pasta water contains starch and helps the sauce turn silkier. Add it a little at a time so you do not overdo it.
- Cheese: in addition to Parmesan, Grana Padano or Pecorino work well — the flavor becomes bolder and saltier.
- No pork: swap the bacon for turkey or chicken ham; for a fully meat-based version, use guanciale, and for a vegetarian version, increase the amount of mushrooms.
- Pasta shapes: spaghetti, tagliatelle, penne or fusilli all work beautifully — anything that holds sauce well.
- Aroma: a pinch of smoked paprika will усилить the smoky bacon character of the dish.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace the cream with milk?
Yes, but the sauce will be less rich. Use milk with at least 3.2% fat and add a little more grated cheese for thickness.
How do I make the sauce thicker?
Let the sauce simmer for a minute or two after adding the cream and cheese, and add a little more grated Parmesan. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken further once tossed with the pasta.
Do I need to add oil for frying?
No, usually the fat rendered from the bacon is enough. If there is not much, you can add 1 tsp of olive oil.